New Zealand Oral History Conference

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Conference theme:  Ko wai mātou?  Who are we?

A common thread runs through the contemporary work of many philosophers, economists, geneticists, historians and novelists world-wide. Who are we? What unites us? What separates us? As we in Aotearoa New Zealand grapple with the consequences of colonisation questions of personal and collective identity resonate on multiple levels. Do we share any form of collective identity? Through the medium of interviews and life narratives oral historians are able to record a rich diversity of perspectives and make a contribution to understanding 'Ko wai mātou?' or 'Who are we?'.

We invite papers that explore 'who are we?' in different and interesting ways. 

-  There are multiple social and cultural dimensions to identity: iwi/hapu, family, ethnicity, occupation, class, sexuality, gender, generation, and nation among them.

-  How do we navigate the personal and collective multiplicity of identities that are part and parcel of everyday life?

-  In what ways are these identities perceived to overlap?

- How do we negotiate conflicting identities?

- Past or present, which matters more when considering who we are?

- Are our life narratives our self-identities?

To submit a proposal

Please send a title, 200-word (maximum) abstract, and a brief (two-sentence) biography:

To: Stout-centre@vuw.ac.nz

By: Friday, 18 April 2020.

To assist with programme planning, please indicate clearly the focus of your paper within the broad theme. You will be notified by the end of April whether your paper has been accepted.